6/12/2014

Chatting with Patrice again. On a Porch again. In Virginia again ....

It's been quite some time, but I am back with Patrice on her Virginian porch, in beautifully warm sunshine. I felt a bit bad about gatecrashing her weekly get-togethers, but Wendell assured me that if I brought him a steady supply of carrots, I'd be most welcome to join them any time.Apparently, Patrice agreed.Here are Patrice's questions for this week's chat:1. Do you have a vegetable garden this year? Have you in previous years?We have planted potatoes this year, but no vegetables. Over the previous number of years, we've planted lots and lots of wonderful stuff, and my readers had the pleasure of hearing me wax lyrical (fairly constantly, too) about my amazing vegetables.My kids were less appreciative of my wonder, though they were happy to wax lyrical when the aforementioned veg sat in front of them on a plate.

My delight would begin with planting seeds and watching them sprout.

Oh the joy!

It would increase when the fruits of our labour came out of the ground,

and could be used to make soup. Scotch Broth is a great favourite in this house.

As you can see, our veg need protection from the wind - the closer rows are carrots, parsnips, and leeks. Inside the higher cage, which is netted on top to keep the butterflies out, are the brassicas.

This is what it's like inside the cage. My wee babies are all safe and secure from nasty winds and even nastier caterpillars.

One of my favourite experiences is when we are thinning the carrots, and the baby carrots are big enough to eat. They are the most delicious carrots ever.

Another of my favourites is the Romanesco. Apart from the fact that it tasted wonderful, its design completely blew me away. Spiral upon spiral upon spiral, speaking so clearly of the hand of the great designer, who created all that we see around us.

Beetroot was another of my favourites,

roasted with thyme, garlic and butter..... *swoon*

Dearie me, Patrice, as you can see, some things have never changed. I reached here and had to go back and check what your original question was ... Yes, it appears I'm still taking a long time to answer your questions!

2. What is your computer sitting on right now? Desk, dining room table, lap....?On the table in our kitchen. I don't know if you remember, but we knocked the wall between our kitchen and our dining room, so it's all one room now. This is where I practically live now!Oh, and when I say "we", you do realise that the Builder simply couldn't have done it without me, yeah?3. Do you go shorter with your hair in the summer?Nope. I'm afraid our summer weather doesn't reach the heady heights that would make shorter hair more necessary or comfortable. In fact, I always think that summer is the time to have it a bit longer, so that it's easier to stick up in a pony tail. When I'd be working in the plot in previous years, I often wished I could tie it back out of my way.4. Are you an early to bed person, or a night owl?Erm ... if you knew the time at which I write this, you'd know for sure that I'm a night owl. I actually went to bed last Monday evening at 11pm, and I couldn't believe how amazing I felt on Tuesday morning! I did decide then that I'd have to try that getting-to-bed-by-eleven malarky more often, but so far, it has not been repeated. I absolutely love the time after everyone else has gone to bed, and I have complete and utter silence surrounding me. It recharges my batteries.5. Tell me something funny. Well, last week, I saw this on Facebook.

Does this ring true for any of you??Well, it sure does for me, and of course, I tagged our good friend for whom this meme was made ... It must have been!This was how the conversation on Facebook went:DM (He shall remain semi-anonymous): Hilarious! I often wonder why laughter is rarely mentioned in the Bible.Me: JOY is mentioned *innumerable* times . We should never fear being joyful rather than being morose and morbid ... Keep laughing!CM (also remaining semi-anonymous): Hoi! Anne you are that friend to me! 😀Please take note of *utter disbelief* on my face as I read the previous comment. ME? Moi??DM: Just never ask Anne Morrison to tell you the joke about the fridge Calum Mitchell. She just about collapses onto the floor telling it.PC (yes, another semi-anonymous 'friend'): I just about collapse at the mention of the fridge joke.... Just thinking about Anne and her reaction..... And I've never met her!CM: YES! I never got that joke! But Anne's laugh! Great! Wasn't there a caterpillar joke too!(There are clearly some sad people in this world, who don't 'get' the fridge joke.)DM: I have never heard the caterpillar joke....let's hear it.CM: Aw I thought it was fridge and the caterpillar or something! Anywhoo! Aw the laughMe: Well, Calum and Don Aldmor, you'd actually be sending for the men in white coats were you in my kitchen right now!! The poor Builder is looking at me while I read these comments ... in hysterics just at the *thought* of the fridge joke .... as though I've completely flipped the lid (and he hasn't a clue what's going on )DM: There's one thing you can't say about the Builder and Anne Morrison ......that they are miserable Christians. Some of the most amazing laughs have been in their company. I have often had sore ribs with them with their infectious laughter. They are the perfect template for a good Christian marriage. God bless them both!Me: Aww, a Dhomhnaill, your lovely comment sobered me up. Thank you ... and ALL is by God's grace (especially the poor Builder's putting up with me!)DM: The Builder has done so well but I think he also landed on his feet. That cooking, honesty, barbering skills......and these brown shoes. He got it all from you!DM: And I can't believe Anne Morrison that you have friends on FB that haven't met you! What a shock they're going to get......"the half was not told me"Marina (my sister): Anne, I knew who you meant even before I read your comment! A lovely thread to read through xCatherine Petra: Calum - it's the cabbage and the fridge!Me: AND the DENIM JACKET!!!!!!!!!!!!CM: ...and a tree?Hello? Hellooooo, any of you still reading?? Well, I do appreciate that the 'joke' is only funny if you kind of know me, us, him, them ....I hope this all made your day. I've loved being back with you, Patrice, and look forward to joining all the ladies again next week. :)